Monday, May 7, 2012

I'm looking for them so I can wear them in tribute to my younger brother, Rickie Fowler, in celebration of his win at the Wells Fargo Championship.

No, he's not really my younger brother. We're not kin. But I've sure been asked that a few times over the past few days, as the name "Fowler" kept staying on or near the top of the leaderboard at Quail Hollow.

Maybe you've had this happen before. Does your first and last name -- or both? -- remind people of a famous person? I've got a buddy whose name is David Stern (not the NBA commissioner -- this one is a heckuva tennis player). When I was in elementary school and a peanut farmer from Georgia became president, there was a kid in the fourth grade who was also named Jimmy Carter.

But it hasn't happened much to me. There is a professional wrestler named Scott Fowler (his nickname is "The Solution," which I love). And a baritone singer who got to the "Wikipedia" Scott Fowler entry first. And a few others, scattered here and there. But you don't see the name very often in the sports world, especially among competitive athletes.

That's why I've always kinda cheered for Rickie Fowler, just because of the last name. It's hard to cheer for an athletic director, you know, like former N.C. State athletic director Lee Fowler. It's even hard to cheer for an Olympic-level volleyball player, like Tom Sorensen (yes, there was one, and he competed in the 1996 Olympics).

But it's not hard to cheer for Rickie Fowler, who everyone says has great manners and wears that so-ridiculous-it's-cool, orange-on-orange combo to honor his Oklahoma State alma mater every Sunday. So well done, Rickie -- I'm glad Charlotte was your first PGA Tour win.

P.S. If you have a story about your own name being mistaken for that of another more famous person -- whether that person is in the sports world or not -- share it with me. Email me at sfowler@charlotteobserver.comwith the story. The best entries get a free signed copy of one of my books (your choice as to which one).

7 comments:

Nothing wrong with wearing blaze-orange and a gangsta'-cap, I suppose. His mother, particularly, is probably fond of how his hat & hair protect his face, ears, and neck from sunburn - a hazard particular to farmers, roofers, and professional golfers.

But he would look a little less...ridiculous...if he'd simply change the solid orange, monochromatic look to a mixture of, say, orange and white or another complementary color.

Tiger wears red shirts on Sunday, but he at least has the good taste not to pair it with red pants. C'mon Ricky - you're better than that.

My name is Tim Allen and I was called the Tool Man when I was doin construction in the Navy Seabees before anyone had ever heard of Tim the Toolman. Once the comedian hit fame and started his TV show called Tool Time, my fellow Seabees enjoyed busting my chops by quoting Tim's sidekick, Al Borlund, who often told the inept Toolman, "I don't think so Tim." Still today I get alot of ribbing about my name and sometimes I do te Tim The Toolman grunt just for effect and a chuckle.